House calls by doctors feel may like a nostalgic part of a Norman Rockwell America, but what is old is new again. Instead of being an anachronism in an age of digital health technology, house calls are actually made practical by advances in health tech. Smartphone data and video communications, remote patient monitoring, and other solutions play important roles in modern house call practices.
Alignment Healthcare is a system serving Los Angeles and Orange Counties in southern California. The company announced a partnership with Heal to provide primary care doctors who will make house calls to subscribers. Patients can book regular appointments within a two-hour window for everything from preventative services to treating sickness or providing urgent care. And Alignment has also created Medicare Advantage plans that include Heal doctor house calls as well as other telehealth services. Heal doctors are available 8 AM to 8 PM every day throughout the year.
This development is a clear example of digital health technology delivering on the promise of freeing medical professionals to spend more time working directly with patients while making routine healthcare tasks more efficient. The result is a better and more convenient level of care that also saves money for all involved.
